


1 Year

by lesbianmezzo



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 06:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10691418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianmezzo/pseuds/lesbianmezzo
Summary: "So you know how Naba is finally coming here later?""You have literally been talking about nothing else since we came back from Uganda last November.""Anyway, I may have organised a teensy tiny party..."One year after Kevin and Arnold's mission on Naba's arrival to America, Arnold organises a party- oh- and Kevin's having some difficulty with a crush.





	1 Year

"Hey, Kev-"

At the sound of Arnold's voice, Kevin looked down from where he was stood on top of the kitchen counter, hanging up a glittery decoration, an "important addition to welcoming decor" Arnold had originally suggested. Maybe not quite in those words but that was the general gist.

"What do you want now?" Kevin mumbled with a slight edge of irritation. "I've been up doing this damn decorating for hours whilst you've been smartening yourself up."

"Well, I look good and so does the room." Arnold eyed the empty mug of coffee on the table, and picked it up, scrutinising its contents. "How many hours and how many refills?"

"Got up at five, refilled it about 3 times maybe? I thought I'd be fine, because I'm usually good with mornings but-"  
"Five isn't morning Kevin it's the middle of the night." Said Arnold in almost disbelief. "So you're basically just 70% caffeine at this point?"

"Something like that." Kevin snatched the mug from Arnold's hands, and began to pour yet more coffee. "So what was it that you actually wanted?"

"So you know how Naba is finally coming here later?"

"You have literally been talking about nothing else since we came back from Uganda last November."

"Anyway, I may have organised a teensy tiny party-"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "So that's why you wanted all the crazy decorating done-"

"Anyway, I've organised everyone to arrive at like, 6, so that gives us like... tons of hours to prepare."

"Who could you have possibly invited that I'll need tons of hours to prepare for? I was planning on wrapping myself in my duvet, eating doritos and watching drag race whilst you picked up Naba from the airport, then having your famous macaroni and cheese for dinner, then go to bed at 10:30." Kevin sipped his coffee and watched Arnold scurry around the room looking for his coat. "Remember to take a scarf too. And a coat for Naba. I don't know if she quite knows what to expect from a New York December- you remember us when we got back."

"Ah yeah, true. Back to the point- you've not left the flat except for work for weeks. Just finish the decorating and maybe take a walk into town, make sure you have something smart to wear." Arnold stood by the door, tugging his coat and gloves on and shoving one of Kevin's coats in his bag, which was met with a questioning expression. "Anything of mine will be miles to big for her." He shrugged.

"Who have you invited?"

Arnold grabbed his bag and stood by the door. "Look, you've not really had much in the way of company except for me in the past few months, so I uh, invited the district 9ers- so that means... McKinley." Kevin's head shot up and he looked Arnold dead in the eye.

"Arnold Cunningham-"

Arnold threw open the door. "Gotta go pick up my girlfriend from the airport, see you later, don't just stalk his Facebook page all day!"

"What?!"

"You have it bookmarked, I've seen it. Have a good day."

"See you later, I hate you!"

"No you don't!" The door shut behind Arnold.

Kevin slammed his mug on the table. "Fuck."

Kevin's persistent, less than discreet crush on his former district leader had not exactly gone unnoticed by Arnold. 2 years of living in the same hut was bad enough, but Kevin would easily trade what he had now for the confusing feelings, blushing, accidental hand brushes and stolen glances of their times in the mission hut.

In the year since they returned, all of the "district 9ers" (as Arnold had dubbed them) had gone their separate ways, some returning to their hometowns, some, like Arnold and Kevin, choosing to move somewhere different.

Well, Kevin "actually I'm gay" Price couldn't go home to his family, and Arnold "The Prophet" Cunningham couldn't really either, so they pooled any savings they had together to rent a tiny two bedroom apartment in New York City. The rent was pretty...steep, and the apartment itself was very small, but with Kevin's job at Starbucks and Arnold's job at the bookstore, they managed.

As far as Kevin's fairly newly discovered sexuality (Uganda really had changed a lot of things, and let him see parts of his own mind he had never let himself consider before) was concerned, and in an attempt to try and get over what seemed to be a little circumstantial crush on Connor McKinley, the dating scene for him had borne little fruit. The one month long relationship he had with a guy he met online had been very short lived, and when it ended Kevin was more relieved than anything. The other few dates he'd been on had either been boring or bordering on disastrous, and while that meant fun anecdotes to tell Arnold later, it didn't really do much for Kevin's loneliness.

In reality, he knew that his crush on Connor was far from over, and definitely a contributing factor to his failures on the dating scene. Day after day, with his heart fluttering, he found himself meticulously scrolling through everything on Connor's Facebook page, and throughout the whole time they'd been back, according to Facebook, Connor was still single; and to make matters worse, lived in New York too.

And he was coming over tonight.

\-   
Kevin stood at the mirror in the bathroom, trying in earnest to get his hair to be 'effortlessly' perfect, when he heard two very familiar giggles outside the front door, causing him to immediately drop his pot of hair gel and throw open the front door.

In front of him was Arnold, and a small, shivering, yet evidently ecstatic, very dear friend.

"Nabalungi Hatimbi, welcome home."

Naba's face erupted into a massive grin, and, still clutching Arnold's hand, threw her other arm around Kevin's neck and pulled him into a hug.

"You're even paler than before!" She exclaimed, as Kevin looked at her in mock shock. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too. Come on, let's get inside, the flat is a tiny bit warmer than the hallway." Kevin let Arnold and Naba into the flat, holding the door open for them and taking their coats.

For hours, they chatted. Naba questioned Kevin and Arnold on the many intriguing things about American culture that she'd seen in the last few hours. Arnold spent most of that time answering excitedly and asking about friends back in Uganda, whilst gazing lovingly at her. Kevin smiled fondly, going back to the finishing touches on his hair, and setting up the last of the party decorations and snacks.

Then people started to arrive. First Michaels, then Neeley, then Davis and Schrader, and then Zelder. Kevin, leaning against the wall with a drink in hand, realised he was staring at the clock and the door obsessively every two minutes, waiting for any sign of any more arrivals. There was music playing but he seemed to be tuning it out.

"You doing ok buddy?" Arnold had left Nabalungi's side for the first time in 5 hours, and walked over to where Kevin was stood at the kitchen counter. "Is that your fifth glass?"

Kevin nodded, and then sighed mournfully. "Maybe he just, isn't coming."

"Absolute nonsense. He's coming, I'm telling you. Chris and James haven't arrived yet. I bet he's with them. And please take it easy buddy, I know you and alcohol."

"Shhh. Maybe not Arnold. Maybe he's just too busy for us now. Maybe he doesn't want to remember Uganda or see us again. Maybe-"

He was interrupted by the doorbell.

A voice shouted from outside. "Traffic's a bitch!"

Arnold pulled open the door. "Poptarts!" Chris Thomas stood in the doorway, Church stood next to him with a rather apologetic grin, and behind them was the familiar figure of Connor McKinley.

"Hi everyone! Sorry we're late, Connor decided it would be fun to ask for a lift with us and then to take 5 hours getting ready." Poptarts nodded his head as Arnold offered him a glass of wine. "Ooh, sophisticated. Thanks. I need it."

"Alright, alright calm down, Chris." Connor laughed, taking a glass of wine for himself. "Nabalungi Hatimbi, beautiful as always. How are you?"

"I'm very good thank you!" Nabalungi smiled, and threw her arms around Connor. "I've missed you all!"

She was then showered by many "I've missed you too"s, and as conversation began to start again, Connor moved over to the kitchen counter.

"Hey."

Kevin looked up from staring into the bottom of his glass, and met Connor's eyes. He was suddenly taken aback by how blue they really were. It was strange to see him in real life again. "Hi, Connor."

"So... How have you been?" Connor smiled gently, and Kevin softened.

"I've been fine. What about you?"

"I'm... good." Connor furrowed his brow. And drank the rest of his wine. "Look, I've been meaning to start up a conversation online for a while- I guess I just never got round to it. I'm really sorry-"

"Don't be. It's as much my fault as yours." Kevin could tell his words were a little slurred maybe, but he figured it wouldn't make too much of a difference.

"I just- I really wanted to talk to you again. I've really missed you. "

"Do you want one?"

"Sorry- What?"

"Another drink."

"Oh- yes. Yes please."

Kevin opened another bottle. And began to pour Connor another glass.

"You know, Kevin, I always just wanted to say- well, it's not easy- it's been a while, and I just wanted to know if you-"

"It's too loud... do you maybe want to go somewhere else and talk?"

"Uh- yeah. Yeah. That's a good idea."

Kevin slid his hand into Connor's and led him to his bedroom door. "We can talk in here." Kevin walked in, still holding Connor's hand.

"Kevin-"

-

It was morning? Maybe? It was light, anyway. And his head hurt. A lot. He should have listened to Arnold. Kevin rolled over to his bedside table and checked his phone. 10am. Late for him, at least.

He felt something next to him shift, and rolled over to the other side, only to be met with messy ginger hair and a peaceful, freckled face.

Wow.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope u liked it!! I wrote this in like one day, and I might add more chapters later! I mIGHT. Maybe. Shout out to the discord yeehonkles for being fab. Peace out 


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